© tim Pannell

Find photographic inspiration, but for heaven sakes don’t just copy it after you find it. If you happen to copy it as a self assignment just to see if you can do it….that’s fine, but then don’t pass it off as though it’s your own unique vision and work.

I see so many blogs now from so many people and the photographs are practically interchangeable.  Not cool…….

I don’t really know if the world needs another 2,000 Anne Geddes wannabes out there.  Be unique…..be daring….be bold…..don’t just be the same.  Figure out what you’re all about and develop that….be that…..be you…not someone else.

© Tim Pannell

Find inspiration in art, music, movies and other photographs.  Use it as a springboard, as a starting point and put your own take on it.  Don’t be afraid to fail because you’re trying new things.  It’s ok if it isn’t perfect right off the bat.

It will almost always take time to develop your own individual style, but it’s worth the time and effort it takes.

Why would anyone hire you over someone else if you all look the same?  You want to be your own person with your own vision…..your uniqueness will be what sells you and sets you apart from everyone else.

My stuff isn’t rocket science.  I understand light and how to use it and manipulate to do what I want it to do.  Other than that, I just relate to people and try to get them to actually have a good time.  If I’m successful at achieving that then the shots will look real, fun, spontaneous and not forced.  If I fail at it….then the shots will look overly staged and manipulated and overall like crap.

© Tim Pannell

I’m still up here in Utah with 40 degree weather.  Pretty sad when it’s towards the end of May.  I think we’ve had 3 or 4 warm days this year….that’s it.  Thank goodness I’ve had some assignments in Arizona, Miami and Los Angeles since the beginning of the year so I’ve seen a little bit of warmth and sunshine.

I shot some images for some friends the other day….it was pretty out, but the kids were freezing.  Windy, cold, frustrating.

The shots turned out nice though…..in the end……that’s really all that counts.

© Tim Pannell

Have you ever been in a photographic rut?  I sure have.  A lot of times I’ll find myself not shooting because I want to create some gorgeous, incredible image and I don’t really have anything in mind that rises to that level.  So instead of going out and shooting anyway, I wait….and wait…..and wait.  The funny thing is that with all the waiting….nothing really comes from it and I wind up with exactly that….nothing.

I’ve never succeeded at thinking my way out of a photographic rut….don’t misunderstand….I’ve tried thinking my way out of it 1,000 times….it just has never worked yet.  Here’s the dumb thing about me though……the next time I’m in “the rut” I’ll still try to think my way out of it at first, even though I know better.  Now that’s just stupid…isn’t it?

We all want to shoot beautiful, interesting, creative, one of a kind images of our kids, but sometimes if we insist on only shooting when everything is perfect and amazing we actually limit ourselves and, I think, miss out on some great photo opportunities.  I find if I just do an image or series of images where I go back to basics it can help me.

There’s nothing wrong with doing a “simple simon” portrait outside in open shade or backlit.  Just you, your kid, a cute outfit and decent light.  Yeah, I know it’ easy and you’ve done it a billion times, but you know what?  It still works.

The important thing is to always keep shooting…even when….or maybe, ESPECIALLY when nothing seems to be flowing or coming together.  I struggle with this all the time.  When I get to the point that I don’t have any new ideas and I sit and think….and think…and think….hoping that an original thought will pop into my head, I know I’m in trouble.

The best thing I’ve found for getting inspiration is to actually just grab the camera and a reflector and a kid and shoot….play around.  When I’m actually doing and not intentionally thinking, then the thoughts and ideas come into my mind and I can move past my photographic rut.

It’s frustrating to feel like you’re just repeating yourself over and over again, but you won’t get over your frustration by refusing to shoot until you have a completely original idea in your head.

Just keep moving forward.  Try new things from time to time.  Try cropping completely different than normal.  Shoot in different light than you’re used to.  Jack your ISO rating way up there and just see what happens when you shoot indoors with a lot of noise.  Break some rules.  Don’t be afraid to “fail”.  First of all, it’s not failure to try new things.  It’s also not failure to shoot your bread and butter.  The trick is to just keep shooting.

I’ve included a real basic image here……not much to it at all.  It’s cute and that, in and of itself is enough.  My previous post had a few really complicated images…..crazy lighting, post production toning and effects, compositing.  It was a complicated image to produce, but the image itself was really simple and strong.

This image is simple in execution as well as simple overall.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking a photo has to be complicated to be good…it’s usually just the opposite.   Complicated for complicated’s sake is a bad road to travel.  Simplicity usually leads to stronger images.  Don’t be afraid to shoot simple, strong images and the next time you’re in a photographic rut don’t think your way out of it…..shoot your way out of it.

© Tim Pannell

Here’s one of the best photography tips I can give you…..Invest in lighting.  I know it’s expensive, I know it can be confusing when you start out with it, but trust me…..there is an entirely new world out there for you when you have lights and learn how to use them effectively.

There is only so much you can do with available light before everything you shoot starts to look the same.  Sometimes, it’s nice to just mix it up.

It seems like the latest posts on this blog have been about shooting our kids once they’re older….it wasn’t intentional, but it seems to be what I’m mostly doing this last month.  If your kids are still little…..enjoy them…..it won’t be long before they are heading off to college and you’ll be wondering where on Earth the time went.

I’ve spent the last couple of days shooting my oldest son for a potential job he’s up for in the sports media department at the University he attends.  He’s in the Graphic Design major and this would be a dream job for him.

He played soccer this past summer with a bunch of buddies and one of them runs the department and mentioned that if he had a bunch of good work, he’d be able to get him in.  That was all Blaine needed to hear and he was busy creating “mock” ads and needing great photographs for them.

© Tim Pannell

I used to shoot him like there was no tomorrow when he was a little guy and it was almost like going back in time working with him again.   We did a whole bunch of soccer images with his layouts in mind.  It was so much fun to be shooting him again.

I was really happy with the lighting setup I used so I shot my 17 year old in his lacrosse gear as well.  He doesn’t really like having his picture taken, but was a great sport and actually had a good time, even if he won’t admit it.  He loves the finished images he’s seen so far.

I also grabbed the 6 year old next door and dressed him up in his lacrosse garb as well.  What a blast!

These shots were done in the middle of the day, at f-16 and 1/250th of a second.  I overpowered the sunlight with my strobes.  I set up a paper background and shot my subjects against that knowing that I was going to “strip” them out of the image and put them into a different scene that I had previously shot.

I also went down to Cougar Stadium the other night after their season opener and shot the stadium lights to strip into the images as well.

© Tim Pannell

I know this isn’t the typical stuff you’d shoot with your kids and for many if not most of you it’s overkill, but it was fun and it was a great opportunity for me to do something cool with my kids.

Not all of these images are finished yet, some are still works in progress.  The main thing is for you to be able to spend quality time with your kids and then as a bonus have something to remember it by with the pictures.

These images are a lot more advanced than the vast majority of the images I’ve taken of these 2 over the last 2 decades.  I just wanted to give Blaine the best chance I could to impress these guys and get this job.  My fingers are crossed.

Owning a couple of strobes can greatly enlarge what you have going on in your photographic “wheelhouse”.  They are nothing more than tools you can use however you choose.  Maybe you’ll use them so subtly most people won’t even notice they’re there.  Maybe you’ll push them to the extreme and create images that are way out there.

Perhaps strobes are too much for you, but you want to do a little something more than just point and shoot….look at getting some good reflectors to help you manipulate the light and better your images.

The point is that lighting is just one more part of the process of learning your craft.

Go out and play…..have some fun!!

© Tim Pannell

Okay….I’m a commercial photographer that shoots concepts and stories for a living and that’s very different than just shooting your own kids, which is what this blog is about.  So why should you worry about shooting a concept or story for that matter when it comes to your own kids?

Well……because I said so.  How’s that for sounding like a parent?

It just makes things more interesting.  I really don’t think it’s enough to just plop cute little Steven or Julie on the floor and crank out a couple of cards worth of images of them just looking at the camera and smiling.  Sure they’re cute and adorable, but your images can be so much more if you just take a little more time to think things out.

© Tim Pannell

When you add a concept behind the image it becomes so much more to look at….not only will little Johnny be cute, but the picture will be saying something as well.

I’m not saying to never shoot “grip and grins” with your kids….for heaven’s sake keep doing those shots to document the stages of your kid’s life at the very least, but every once in a while try to do something more with them.

© Tim Pannell

Pick an activity that your kid enjoys and shoot the build up to it, then the event and then the “post” event or clean up.  Why shoot the clean up?  Why not shoot the clean up….lots of times cool stuff happens when you least expect it and getting little Tiffany to help with the garbage might be one of those situations.

© Tim Pannell

So….the next time your little guy or gal has a bunch of friends over to go on the slip and slide, shoot the whole thing from start to finish.  Don’t grab all the kids and make them sit still and pose with those cheesy glued on smiles they learn how to give because of “school picture” photographers that get some sort of oddball satisfaction from ruining your kid’s perfect natural expression.

Those photographers really cheese my cracker so to speak…….but that’s a different post for a different blog for another time.

Push yourself, expect and demand a little more from yourself and watch your images go to the next level.

© Tim Pannell

My niece is now 24 years old.  I remember like it was just yesterday, her performing on the fireplace hearth and bowing to our thunderous applause and shouting “Thank you – Gentlemen!” as she jumped  into what she believed to be a mosh pit on the carpet.  She was 2 1/2 years old at the time and living in Long Beach…….cuter than crap!

These little kids that we love, nurture, protect, bandage and teach eventually do grow up and leave the nest to start their own life’s journey and adventure…….really cool ride, but it always puts a lump in my throat

© Tim Pannell

She just got married a couple of weeks ago and I took the opportunity to take her and her, then, fiancee out to the Salt Flats to shoot them in their tux and gown.

What a blast we had!  I left the house at about 2:30 in the morning to be able to pick them up in Salt Lake and whisk them off to the Salt Flats before sunrise.

© Tim Pannell

We lucked out and had a beautiful day…….temperatures were in the 60′s and no wind.  I would have preferred having a few more clouds than we did have, but after living in Utah for almost 7 months now, I’m grateful for any day that isn’t raining or snowing.

They’re a great looking couple and we got a bunch of great shots….they were troopers to get up so early in the morning, but I think they were more than happy with the results we got.

As parents, sometimes we’re guilty of not shooting as many pics of our kids as they get older.  Their not quite as cute as they were when they were 2 and 3 so we don’t look for as many opportunities to shoot pictures with them.

© Tim Pannell

The lesson today is to recognize that they’re ALWAYS cute and to shoot them even past their teen years.  At least until they start cranking out their own kids and then they’ll have to take a back seat to their own kids as we shoot image after image of the next generation of “little ones”.

Have fun and enjoy the ride…..it’s the best one there is!

Just a side note – If any of you have older kids that are getting married up here in Utah…..one of the gazillion weddings up here every year…..and want great shots of them in their tux and gown just contact me and I’d be happy to set something up. I don’t shoot weddings at all, but I will spend time with couples that want one of a kind gorgeous images….just not on their wedding day.  Trust me…it’s worth it.  I hope to hear from you soon.

Have a great day!

© Tim Pannell Photography

One of the biggest problems people have shooting kids is expecting them to act, behave and or pose a certain way.  Once the shoot starts, many times that sweet little darling kid won’t want anything to do with your preconceived ideas to photograph.

I know what it’s like to have a picture in my head of what I want to get and not being able to get it.  At this point, you have two choices….continue beating your head against a rock trying to get your unco-operative subject to pose exactly the way you want…..or to go with the flow and see what the kid will give you.

After being in the business for over 20 years, I can pretty well figure out what’s going to happen within about 5 minutes of working with any child.  This is not the time or place to become the ultimate disciplinarian.  You can coerce the child into submission, but it comes with a really heavy price.  They’ll never want to shoot with you again.  They’ll remember you as a bully.

In my opinion, it’s just not worth it to get a picture.  I’ve learned that by letting go of the reins and relinquishing “control” I’m more likely to walk away with a great image.  It will most likely not look like anything that I envisioned at the beginning of the session, but I can promise you that it’ll be a better shot than the one I’d get by forcing and imposing my will on a kid.

Many times I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the outcome and on several occasions I’ve been rewarded with shots that I am completely in love with.  This shot was done of my nephew.  He hated having his picture taken, but was so cute I insisted on him letting me photograph him.  We got set up and were ready to shoot and he wasn’t going to have any  of it.  I shot him anyway ….I kidded around with him a little bit and just hung out for a while and I wound up getting this image.  To this day it’s my favorite shot I’ve ever taken of Kai.

He’s 10 years older now and has become a great model on top of that.  He’s let me do countless shots of him over the years and I’m sure there will be countless more to come.

Just remember to take what the subject gives you.  If they can’t smile with teeth showing don’t insist that they smile with their teeth showing.  It’s all a give and take….kind of an elaborate dance between subject and photographer.  Once you get into a flow you’ll feel it and that’s when the magic happens.  Enjoy the ride!

© Tim Pannell Photography

Shoot through stuff guys…..now that’s real technical sounding isn’t it?  If any of you have watched the show “24″…..they do it all the time.  There is almost always something very out of focus in the foreground of most of their shots.

If gives the image a little bit of mystery, a little bit of depth and a little more interest than just a straight photograph.

I love depth in imagery.  I usually want my images to look as 3 dimensional as possible.

For this shot of my neighbor’s daughter I thought it would be much more interesting if I shot the image through the French door rather than on the inside of the room with Jillian.

She’s by far the cutest little girl on the planet….she comes over and visits 4 or 5 times a week to eat “white” cheese and “good” pickles…”not the icky kind.”

When we lived in Arizona we had neighbors with 2 little kids that would come over and visit us as well…..we miss them dearly…..Jillian’s visits have helped us through our “withdrawal” period from Trenten and Cadyn.

As always, when shooting 2 or 3 year olds you can’t get too technical in terms of directions……gently nudging is about all you can do.  Let them have fun….see what they naturally come up with……you’ll be surprised what great images you can make just observing what a 2 year old invents on the spot.

The next time you shoot, find some different objects with varying degrees of opacity to set really close to your lens in the foreground.  See what happens to your image when you shoot through it.  Play around with different things until you find something you like.  Shoot through windows……play around with reflections.

If you go too far with something, just dial it back a little.  Experiment with different depths or distances from your lens.  Try different f-stops……typically wide open, or close to wide open works best, but try stopping for a few if only just to see what it does.

Most of all…..just have fun playing around with your photos.  The beauty of digital is that it costs you nothing but your time to experiment.

Good luck!

© Tim Pannell Photography

One of the best photography tips I can think of is to not over think your shots.

Over thinking leads to overproducing.

Overproducing leads to frustration.

You don’t have to make a big production every time you go to take pictures of your kids.

You do, however want to control the things that you can control.

Just don’t try too hard to control your “subjects.”

Picture a scenario….the less contrived the better.

Pick good angles to shoot from so your background doesn’t detract from your images.

Be sure to shoot when the light is pretty – morning, late afternoon, open shade.

Have your kids and anyone else in the shots wear nice co-ordinated clothes.

Then, when you’ve got everything ready….go out and play.

Give people a basic idea where you want them and have them do their thing.

© TIm Pannell Photography

If you see something you really like give your kids some feedback and have them continue doing what they’re doing.

If it’s not working, don’t let them know it.  Give them encouragement until it starts to look right.

Take your time, let the shot evolve.  It doesn’t have to be “perfect” right off the bat.

Be playful, make it fun.

Springtime is coming soon…..even if it is snowing here in Utah…..ridiculous!

There are lots and lots of Springtime activities to shoot – gardening, water fights, picnics, playgrounds, parades, barbecues.

Pick something and shoot away.

© Tim Pannell Photography

Another good photography tip – you don’t have to make people look at the camera to get a great shot.

Shoot your kids interacting.

The kids will have fun no matter what their ages.

I take that back….if they’re 17 they won’t have any fun.

If they’re 17, find a different hobby. lol

© Tim Pannell Photography

Ever have to shoot in the wind?

It sucks!

Well…..technically, it blows.

We’re in that in between stage of weather here in Utah when it doesn’t know if its still winter or Spring.

2 days ago it was almost 70 degrees and yesterday it was cold enough that it started flurrying snow.

I don’t really enjoy this in between time…..either snow a ton or get on with it and bring on the Springtime.

It’s no fun shooting kids in cold weather when there isn’t any snow for them to play with.

I went out and shot a bunch of scenics instead.

My wife called while I was shooting so I turned my back to my tripod (something I never use shooting people) and had a little conversation with her.

The next thing I know is the wind blows my tripod and camera into the back of my head.

I’m glad my head was there to keep the camera from hitting the ground, but it really hurt.

It was extremely windy that day and cold and rainy – sleety.

I don’t know why I was out in it…….low I.Q. I guess.

© Tim Pannell Photography/Corbis

In any case…..it reminded of a much warmer day on assignment in Fort Meyers, Florida.

It was at least 90 degrees out and close to 1oo% humidity with 40-60 mile an hour wind gusts.

It was one of the most miserable days I’ve ever shot in.

I would lay on the beach to shoot and the wind would create these little mini tornadoes of sand that would blow into my nose and eyes.

The sand there is almost pure white, which is nice for providing fill, but causes snow blindness after a full day or working in it.

The other frustrating thing is what that much wind does to hair.

A little breeze is always great for getting hair to flow and move, giving your shots some life.

But that much wind just becomes a giant killer pain in the butt!

What should you do when this happens?

If you were smart and you were just out shooting for yourself, you’d bail out and head inside.

If you were on an assignment like I was or were as dumb as I am, you’d stay out and give it a go.

We pow wowed and decided to turn the day into “hair day”.

Most all of the shots we took that day focused on peoples hair in the wind.

It would have actually been a lot of fun if the wind and the sand hadn’t exfoliated at least 3 layers of skin from by body.

© Tim Pannell Photography

With the exception of the 2 year old we had with us, who had no hair.

She would have normally been my “workhorse” that day, but since she was 2 she ran out of gas pretty quickly.

Who could blame her?

The balloons in this shot with her only lasted for 3 frames anyway before they “Auntie Emmed” there way into the stratosphere.

We failed to explain the whole helium concept to her………ooooops.

It reminded me of all the times at Disneyland when there are always several balloon “escapees” at any given time in the air over the park.

We actually got quite a lot of great images that day in spite of the ridiculous amount of wind.

A couple of the images are still among my favorites.

I guess no matter what, it’s important to learn how to work with what the situation gives you.

In this case, we made the blowing hair the subject and quite trying to fight it.

It worked.

© Tim Pannell Photography

We’re still adjusting to the weather up here in Utah.

I have to admit that I get a little bit homesick when I watch the news and see that it’s 75 degrees back home in Arizona.

February and March were always my favorite months back home……the weather was usually perfect.

It snowed all day long yesterday.  Much of the day it snowed with big huge fluffy flajkes.

I was hoping to get shots of the kids making snowmen this morning, but no such luck.

The snow never accumulated at all.  It just landed and melted.

This morning there’s a light dusting on the grass, but that’s it.

Snowmen will have to wait.

© Tim Pannell Photography

I did get to shoot some 6th and 7th graders with my son sledding a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve posted a couple of shots from that shoot.

Same story as usual for me.  Take your kids, or anybody’s kids for that matter and just get them playing together in the snow.

It just kind of happens.  Once you see something that catches your eye, you can massage it a little bit.

Give them a little bit of art direction and then, let them cut loose.

It doesn’t always work as easily as you hope, but it can be a lot of fun, and the pictures that you do get should be wonderful.

For this kind of stuff, it’s really all about the energy.

© Tim Pannell Photography

Get them laughing, yelling, running, falling, sledding, crashing.  Just shoot whatever happens and have fun with it.

The other great thing about shooting in the snow is that it acts like a built in reflector.

You don’t have to worry about being overly controlled in your setup.

It’s nice being able to shoot around without being overly worried about lighting, just be sure to watch your backgrounds.

Don’t make the mistake of going into “auto-pilot” mode.

In any case, if you live in the snow….take advantage of it while you can….eventually Spring will arrive.